Vender: A Spanish Word with Multiple Meanings


Vender: A Spanish Word with Multiple Meanings

Vender is a word that can be confusing for English speakers, especially when they encounter it in different contexts. Vender is a Spanish verb that means “to sell”, but it can also be used as a noun to refer to a seller or a vendor. In this article, we will explore the different meanings and uses of vender, as well as some common expressions and examples.

Vender as a verb

As a verb, vender is conjugated like any other regular -er verb in Spanish. For example:

  • Yo vendo libros en la librería. (I sell books in the bookstore.)
  • Tú vendes frutas y verduras en el mercado. (You sell fruits and vegetables in the market.)
  • Él vende coches usados. (He sells used cars.)
  • Nosotros vendemos ropa por internet. (We sell clothes online.)
  • Vosotros vendéis entradas para el concierto. (You sell tickets for the concert.)
  • Ellos venden joyas de oro y plata. (They sell gold and silver jewelry.)

Vender can also be used in different tenses and modes, such as the present progressive, the preterite, the imperfect, the future, the conditional, the subjunctive, and the imperative. For example:

  • Estoy vendiendo mi casa. (I am selling my house.)
  • Ayer vendí mi bicicleta. (Yesterday I sold my bike.)
  • Cuando era niño, vendía limonada en la calle. (When I was a child, I used to sell lemonade on the street.)
  • Mañana venderé mis acciones. (Tomorrow I will sell my shares.)
  • Si tuviera más dinero, vendería mi coche y compraría uno nuevo. (If I had more money, I would sell my car and buy a new one.)
  • Espero que vendas todo lo que traes. (I hope you sell everything you bring.)
  • Vende esos libros que ya no usas. (Sell those books that you don’t use anymore.)

Vender as a noun


Vender as a verb

As a noun, vender can mean either a seller or a vendor, depending on the context. A seller is someone who sells something to someone else, usually for money. A vendor is someone who sells something in a specific place or situation, such as a street vendor, a food vendor, or a vending machine.

In some cases, vender can be interchangeable with vendor, but in other cases, they have different connotations. For example:

  • El vendedor de la tienda me atendió muy bien. (The seller at the store attended me very well.)
  • El vendedor de helados pasó por mi calle. (The ice cream vendor passed by my street.)
  • Compré un refresco en el vendedor automático. (I bought a soda from the vending machine.)
  • Ella es una vendedora de arte muy famosa. (She is a very famous art seller.)
  • Él es un vendedor ambulante de flores. (He is a street vendor of flowers.)
  • No me fío de ese vendedor de coches. (I don’t trust that car seller.)
  • No me gustan los vendedores de comida rápida. (I don’t like fast food vendors.)

Common expressions with vender


Vender as a noun

There are some common expressions and idioms that use the verb or noun vender in Spanish. Here are some of them: